Each backyard hen keeper has knowledgeable it: someday, your hens are laying reliably, and the following, the nesting boxes are mysteriously empty. Based on Gail Damerow, renowned poultry skilled and writer of Storey’s Information to Increasing Chickens, this egg-laying pause is commonly not a secret at all. You will find very clear, organic causes hens cease laying, and knowing them can assist you assist your flock and restore productiveness. Here's Damerow’s best five factors hens stop laying—and what you are able to do about them.
1. Molting: A All-natural Pause
As Damerow clarifies, molting is often a yearly event inside of a hen’s lifetime, generally happening in late summer months to early slide. Throughout this time, hens lose and regrow feathers—a course of action that requires an amazing level of energy and protein. Egg generation frequently stops all through this period, given that the hen's entire body focuses solely on feather regeneration.
What You Can Do: Guidance your hens having a significant-protein feed or snacks like mealworms and scrambled eggs. Steer clear of stressing the flock and Permit mother nature get its class. Once the molt is comprehensive, egg-laying should slowly resume.
two. Shortened Daylight Several hours
Light exposure plays an important job in stimulating a hen’s reproductive method. Damerow factors out that hens will need fourteen–sixteen hours of daylight for constant laying. As daylight decreases in the fall and Winter season months, so does egg generation.
What You are able to do: Think about including a light-weight supply while in the coop which has a timer to simulate natural daylight. A reduced-wattage bulb turning on inside the early morning can securely lengthen "daylight" and help Winter season laying. Keep away from sudden lighting adjustments That may anxiety your birds.
3. Bad Nutrition
Nutrition is foundational to egg production. Damerow warns that feeding chickens a diet missing in protein, calcium, or necessary natural vitamins may lead to less or no eggs. Treats and scratch grains, although entertaining, can dilute the balanced nourishment supplied by industrial layer feed.
What You Can Do: Be certain your flock has frequent use of large-high quality layer feed, clean h2o, and calcium health supplements like crushed oyster shell. Limit treats to not more than 10% in their day-to-day diet program.
four. Pressure and Environmental Aspects
Stress is A serious contributor to reduced egg output. As outlined by Damerow, stressors can contain predator threats, overcrowding, bullying, extreme temperatures, or maybe shifting the coop. Hens are delicate to change and might respond by halting egg creation.
What You are able to do: Produce a quiet, Protected environment on your birds. Maintain regular routines, provide sufficient House, and address sources of strain like loud noises or aggressive flockmates.
five. Age and Health concerns
Damerow reminds us that laying isn't really a lifelong endeavor. Most hens start off laying about 5–6 months of age, peak at about one–two decades, after which little by little decelerate. Sickness, parasites, and reproductive troubles might also interfere with laying.
What You are able to do: Keep an eye on your hens’ All round overall health. Perform Fun88 Casino frequent parasite checks, preserve a thoroughly clean coop, and check with a vet when you see indications of health issues. More mature hens should be valuable users of the flock even when their laying days are behind them.
Final Thoughts
As Gail Damerow often suggests, “Chickens don’t just stop laying for no reason.” If your hens have a split, it’s their means of signaling that anything within their surroundings or biology has shifted. With a little bit of observation, excellent care, plus some endurance, you can assist information your flock back to healthy egg output—or just enjoy the all-natural rhythms in their lives.